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Iqbal Hameedur Rahman (
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
:اقبال حميدرحمان;
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
ইকবাল হামিদর রহমান born 25 September 1956), is the current
Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court The chief justice of the Federal Shariat Court of Pakistan heads the Federal Shariat Court of Pakistan. The chief justice of the Shariat Court is the second-highest judicial office in the country, after the chief justice of Pakistan The chie ...
. Before that he was a senior justice of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan The Supreme Court of Pakistan (; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the Judiciary of Pakistan, judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Established in accordance witPart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it h ...
. He is of
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
origin and born in
Dacca Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
, East Pakistan. He served as the
Justice In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...
of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan The Supreme Court of Pakistan (; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the Judiciary of Pakistan, judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Established in accordance witPart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it h ...
, as appointed in this post on 24 February 2013 and voluntarily tendered his resignation on 24 October 2016. Prior to his appointment as a senior justice of the Pakistan Supreme Court, he served as the Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court, on and from 3 January 2011 up to 22 February 2013, having secured nomination from Prime Minister
Yousaf Raza Gillani Yusuf Raza Gilani (born 9 June 1952) is a Pakistani politician who served as the 16th prime minister of Pakistan from 2008 to 2012. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan since 2024. Chairman Gilani served as the acti ...
and appointed by President
Asif Ali Zardari Asif Ali Zardari (born 26 July 1955) is a Pakistani politician serving as the 14th president of Pakistan since 2024, having held the same office from 2008 to 2013. He is the president of Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians and was the ...
. Earlier he served Lahore High Court as a judge from the year 2006 up to 2011. He was only son of famed chief justice of Pakistan Hamoodur Rehman.


Family Identity

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rahman is a scion of a noble family that has its roots in the legal fraternity since pre-partition of the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
. He hails from a very respectable Bengali Muslim family of
Patna Patna (; , ISO 15919, ISO: ''Paṭanā''), historically known as Pataliputra, Pāṭaliputra, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. His Grand father Khan Bahadur Dr. Dawdood-Ur-Rahman MB, FRCS was of aristocratic Bengali origin and a Bangla speaking person living in Patna, India and was the first Muslim Civil Surgeon of undivided Bengal, who secured his FRCS degree from the
Royal College of Surgeons of England The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is an independent professional body and registered charity that promotes and advances standards of surgery, surgical care for patients, and regulates surgery and dentistry in England and Wa ...
, London. His paternal uncle, Maudood ur Rahman was a barrister, who later became a Judge of the Chief Court Calcutta. His maternal grand father late Mr. Ashraf Ali Khan was a barrister and a practicing Advocate in
Calcutta High Court The Calcutta High Court is the oldest High Court in India. It is located at Esplanade Row West, Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal. It has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. T ...
and was also a member of the
Bengal Legislative Assembly The Bengal Legislative Assembly () was the largest legislatures of British India, legislature in British India, serving as the lower chamber of the legislature of Bengal Presidency, Bengal (now Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal). It ...
in Calcutta and was later elected as Deputy Speaker of the said Assembly before partition. His illustrious father late Hon’ble Mr. Justice
Hamoodur Rahman Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman (; 1 November 1910 – 20 December 1981), . , was a Pakistani Bengali jurist and an academic who served as the Chief Justice of Pakistan from 18 November 1968 until 31 October 1975. Educated in law and trai ...
was appointed as Advocate General of
East Pakistan East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Burma, wit ...
in 1953, from where he was elevated to the Bench as judge of the
Dhaka High Court The High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh (), popularly known as High Court, is one of the two divisions of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, the other division being the Appellate Division. It consists of the Chief Justice of Bangla ...
in 1954. In addition he remained as the Vice Chancellor of
University of Dacca The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka was founded in 1921 ...
(1958–60). He was appointed as judge of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan The Supreme Court of Pakistan (; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the Judiciary of Pakistan, judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Established in accordance witPart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it h ...
in 1960 and was made the
Chief Justice of Pakistan The chief justice of Pakistan ( initials as CJP; , ''Munsif-e-Āzam Pākistān'') is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and is the highest-ranking officer of the Pakistani judiciary. The Federal Court of Pakistan was establis ...
in 1968. His father was one of those widely respected individuals in the history of Pakistan, who through his exalted character and dedication to his country had left such imprints, which will be followed by the generations unborn, with dignity and pride. He was author of the " Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report" which inquired into the circumstances leading to the breakup of Pakistan in 1971. Besides revealing the causes of the dismemberment of Pakistan, the said report gave an honest and courageous account of the events that led to the said tragedy. He was also the Chairman of Presidential Commission on Education (1964), Chairman Law Reform Commission (1967), member United Nations Committee on Crime Prevention and Control (1972–73) and Chairman of the
Council of Islamic Ideology Council of Islamic Ideology (CII; () is a constitutional body of Pakistan, responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic issues to the government and the Parliament. This body was founded in 1962 under the government of Ayub Khan. Functions ...
(1974–77).


Early life

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rahman was born in
Dacca Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
in 1956. On the elevation of his illustrious father as judge of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan The Supreme Court of Pakistan (; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the Judiciary of Pakistan, judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Established in accordance witPart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it h ...
, the family shifted to Lahore in 1960, where Mr. Iqbal Hameed ur Rahman started his primary education from St. Anthony High School, Lahore. After doing his Matriculation from the said institution, he joined
Government College Lahore The Government College University (colloquially known as GCU; Punjabi, Urdu: ) is a public research university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Founded as Government College, Lahore, in 1864 under British administration, it became a university ...
, from where he did his Intermediate in 1973 and Graduation in 1975. He obtained his professional degree of LL.B. from the
University of Punjab The University of the Punjab (UoP) is a public research university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Founded in 1882, its international influence has made it one of the most prestigious universities in South Asia; being the oldest and largest publ ...
, Lahore, Law College, Lahore in 1980. In addition he also obtained diploma in Labour Laws from the same University Lahore.


Professional life

He started his professional career as an Advocate in 1981 in the District and Civil Courts in Lahore and was enrolled as an Advocate of
Lahore High Court The Lahore High Court () is a provincial court house based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was established as a high court on 21 March 1882. The Lahore High Court has jurisdiction over the province of Punjab. The High Court's principal seat is ...
in 1983 and an Advocate Supreme Court in 1997. In 1998, he was elected as the Secretary of
Lahore High Court Bar Association The Lahore High Court Bar Association () is the largest Bar Association of Pakistan, situated in the premises of Lahore High Court, Lahore. Lahore Bar (presently Lahore High Court Bar) as a collective group took birth somewhere before 1892-93 a ...
. In 2006, he was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Lahore High Court and was confirmed as a permanent Judge of the Lahore High Court on 27.10.2007 and served there till 2011. After the promulgation of Provisional Constitutional Order 2007, he was asked to take oath under the PCO. Like his courageous counterparts he stood for the rule of law in order to preserve the dignity and honor of his institution and the
Constitution of Pakistan The Constitution of Pakistan ( ; ISO 15919, ISO: '' Āīn-ē-Pākistān''), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan. The document guides Pakistan's law, political culture, and system. It sets out the state's outlin ...
and refused to take oath under the PCO. He and his counterparts were subjected to an insurmountable mental anguish but no inducement or threat could deter him from his chosen path. He sacrificed his tenure of eleven years of judgeship at the altar of truth and
rule of law The essence of the rule of law is that all people and institutions within a Body politic, political body are subject to the same laws. This concept is sometimes stated simply as "no one is above the law" or "all are equal before the law". Acco ...
with such dignity that the soul of his noble father would always be proud of him. He and his brother judges in the
Lahore High Court The Lahore High Court () is a provincial court house based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was established as a high court on 21 March 1882. The Lahore High Court has jurisdiction over the province of Punjab. The High Court's principal seat is ...
ignited such flame in the heart of this nation that not only led to a great social awakening but also bound this society with the rule of law. In 2009, an unfortunate incident happened in Gojra in which certain members of the Christian Community were burnt alive by a mob. Mr.Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rahman was entrusted with One Man Tribunal of Inquiry in respect of Gojra incident in the year 2009. His dignified stature not only stopped the communal violence but his report also chalked out certain objective guidelines for the protection of the rights of minorities in Pakistan. Later he was appointed as a member of the inquiry commission in respect of the plot to assassinate the Chief Justice Khawaja Mohammad Sharif. He has been a member of the
Election Commission of Pakistan The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is an independent, autonomous, permanent and constitutionally established federal body responsible for organizing and conducting elections to the national parliament, provincial legislatures, local g ...
. After passing of the 18th Amendment and establishment of
Islamabad High Court The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is the senior court of the Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan, with appellate jurisdiction over the following District courts of Pakistan, district courts: * Islamabad District Court (East) * Islamabad Distr ...
, he was elevated as the first constitutional Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court on 03.01.2011, where he served till 22 February 2013. On 24 February 2013 He was appointed to the
Supreme Court of Pakistan The Supreme Court of Pakistan (; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the Judiciary of Pakistan, judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Established in accordance witPart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it h ...
as a Senior Judge and served as such till 24 October 2016.


Resignation

During his tenure as Chief Justice of the
Islamabad High Court The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is the senior court of the Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan, with appellate jurisdiction over the following District courts of Pakistan, district courts: * Islamabad District Court (East) * Islamabad Distr ...
, few officers were appointed in the Islamabad High Court during the period 2011 and 2012, against which in adjudicating a reference application filed by the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had come to a categorical conclusion that judges involved in the appointments have acted "in complete disregard of the mandate given by the Rules framed under Article 208 of the Constitution" and had been involved in "cherry picking by deliberately ignoring merits of the candidates." The IHC Bar Association has taken very serious note of this matter, consequent to which Justice Hameedur Rahman tendered his resignation by writing resignation letter in his own hand on 23 October 2016, from the office of senior Justice of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan The Supreme Court of Pakistan (; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the Judiciary of Pakistan, judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Established in accordance witPart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it h ...
. The reason although not disclosed in the resignation letter, yet it was presumed that he has voluntarily accepted the liability, since some of the appointment was made during his tenure, although the major appointments were made thereafter during the tenure of the next Chief Justice Mr. Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi. Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP) President Barrister Syed Ali Zafar welcomed and appreciated the resignation of Justice Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rahman as Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He became the Chief Justice of Federal Shariat Court on 1 June 2023.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahman, Hameedur 1956 births People of East Pakistan University of Dhaka alumni University of the Punjab alumni Punjab University Law College alumni Bengali lawyers Bengali educators People from Islamabad Pakistani people of Bengali descent Pakistani jurists R Living people Chief justices of the Islamabad High Court 20th-century Bengalis 21st-century Bengalis